Obsessed (7 page)

“I know we do Prez; but, it ain’t worth it. We have to wait. Let them think we’re weak now. Nobody will remember it in a few months after we hit ‘em. There won’t be any HOHers left to tell the story.”

Hayes gripped his beer bottle at the neck and flung it across the room. It smashed into the wall, sending hundreds of broken pieces of glass cascading to the floor. A look of resignation crossed his face. “Alright. Shit. We’ll wait. But when we do go, Roads, we’re gonna make sure every one of those bastards suffers for what they did.”

“What about the girl?” said James from his spot on the other side of the bar. They were the only three inside, and the president and vice president hadn’t even noticed him until he spoke up.

“What girl?” asked Roads.

“That college girl,” said James. “The one who stumbled in here the other night with her friends. She came back in right before the attack.”

“So…” said Roads.

The Prez didn’t seem to hear James. He was still grinding his teeth over the decision not to respond immediately to the attack.

“So...they took her.” said James.

“Ain’t our problem, son,” said Roads. “She wasn’t one of ours.”

James shot a quick look at Hayes, but it wasn’t returned. He turned back to Roads. “They got her from here. Far as I can call it, that makes her ours.”

“Don’t go lookin’ to complicate things that don’t need to be complicated,” said Roads. “Dumb bitch came in here and got in over her head. That’s it. If she was one of our girls, it’d be a different story. But she wasn’t. Wrong place, wrong time. That’s all.”

“C’mon Roads, you know that’s not how it looks!” said James. He shuffled across the room to stand table-side with the president and vice president. His movements were slow and deliberate, but his voice measured a determined tone.

“She didn’t know what the hell she was walking in to. Besides, the HOHers don’t know she ain’t one of ours,” he said, again turning toward the president. “They think they got an EG girl.”

Roads shook his head and muttered under his breath. The president narrowed his eyes on the young Biker.

“Hayes, you know it’s not right,” said James. “You want them thinking they can take one of ours and get away with it? How’s it gonna make us look when we don’t go after her. They’re gonna-”

“Enough!” said Hayes. He glared across the table at James. Years of hard living had sapped some of the bite he once had, but he could still be an intimidating son of a bitch when the mood struck him.

“You heard what Roads said. Now’s not the time. We’re gonna be smart about this.”

Roads nodded solemnly.

“And what the fuck is it to you anyway?” continued the president. “Since when did you get an invitation to come in here and start runnin’ your mouth about the moves we should be making?”

James bit down hard on his lip to stifle his response. His shoulders tensed as he looked to the floor.

“Now that’s it. I don’t wanna hear another word about it. That bitch made her own bed and she can sleep in it,” said the president.

James raised his gaze to meet the president’s. “It’s the wrong move, Hayes.”

“Get the fuck outta here!” yelled the president. “Another word and your ass is goin’ back in the middle of the circle. Only reason I’m not turning the boys loose on your ass right now is because you’ve done good work for us. Now, like I said, get out that door in a hurry before I change my mind.”

James stood completely still for an agonizingly long moment before bending toward the door. The thought of disrespecting the leadership any further didn’t sit well with him. As much as he hated their decision, he had to abide by it.

“And remember,” shouted Hayes. “Your ass represents the EG twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. So don’t go gettin’ any dumb ideas about goin’ after that girl on your own. If I find out you’re even thinking about doin’ that, I’ll feed you to the dogs myself.”

The words followed James out the door. They seemed to hang in the air around him.
Feed you to the dogs…

It was eerily calm outside. The slight breeze caused a few dry leaves to ruffle in the grass, but otherwise, there wasn’t a disturbance to be heard. James took a deep breath and mounted his ride. The perfectly polished chrome tank reflected a gruff, unshaven face. He slid a pair of dark sunglasses in to place and looked west down the highway. A million different thoughts fought for his attention. He tried to drown them out with the roar of his engine, but it wasn’t loud enough.

***

The room is dark and cold. I can feel the bruises on my body, but I can’t see them. How long have I been here?

Everything is slow. It’s like a fog...or a dream. When I’m awake, all I can remember are two mysterious blue eyes. Are they looking at me? Are they looking
for
me? I’m not sure. Either way, they are all that gives me comfort.

Click-clack, click-clack.

That sound again. I’ve heard that sound, I just can’t place it. It makes me curl up into a ball and feel afraid. I don’t remember why.

The light from beneath the door is gone now. A shadow blocks it. I can’t stay awake…

***

Cool water dribbled down James’ chin. It had been years since he had been to the desert, but it was the only place where water tasted so
right.
The chaos around the club was too much. He hadn’t been able to think there. The desert was the only place where a man could think.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
The shots from his .45 sent the makeshift targets skittering backward. Dirt kicked up from the ground and sprayed in patterns around the impact points.

As the late afternoon sun set in the sky, James tried to remember the girl. Something about her was clawing away at him, but he couldn’t quite place it. She was definitely pretty, but not in the “in-your-face” kind of way he was used to. Her name was...Katie? He wasn’t sure. Maybe she told him...or one of her ditzy friends said it.

James continued to fire the weapon randomly. His strong hands expertly handled the recoil, even though he was hardly paying it any attention. He thought about what his gang meant to him, and how it was the only family he had. Never did he imagine, he would risk throwing that away. But, the image of the girl, desperate and vulnerable across the back of that bike, kept coming back to him.

Why the hell did she have to go back to the bar that night?
James tried to explain it away.
She was looking for some excitement, was all.
He wanted to give himself a reason he could live with...something he could use to put her out of his mind.
She thought she was invincible and didn’t respect her environment. She got a little too big for her britches and it got her in trouble.

But he couldn’t lie to himself. James knew the reason she came back was him. When she came in, she went straight to him. He had been watching her the whole time.
That’s not a crime is it? Should she have to deal with those kinds of consequences for something as simple as that?

James sat down on his bike, facing the rear, and looking toward the sunset. He traded his water for whiskey and started planning his next move.

***

“Hey...wake up. Are you awake?” The voice was female and unfamiliar. “Sit up, I need to get you ready.”

“
Wha...ready for what?” It was the first time I had heard myself speak in longer that I could remember. The words felt like they had to fight to escape my lips. My mouth was dry, like cotton.

“Ready for the big man, darlin’. Duane wants you soon.”

“Who...who is Duane? Who are
you?
” Memories were coming in flashes. I could see an argument, or a fight, or something...then, darkness. Unfamiliar faces. A clouded reality.

“Aw, c’mon little Katie. You know who I am.” The voice snickered and I felt a feminine hand grip my shoulder. I was too confused to recoil.

“Was I in an accident?” I asked.

“An accident? You don’t look like you’ve been in an accident. In fact, you look great!” She cackled again. “Wanna see?”

Before I could answer she threw the light switch. Blinding white invaded my field of vision. I curled my knees to my chest and tucked my head. The change in extremes, from pitch black to bright was excruciating.

“Ahhhh, shi-,” I shut my eyes tight and shielded myself with a raised hand.

“Be quiet,” said the voice. “You’ll get us both in trouble if you don’t shut up.”

Gradually, the intensity dulled. At first, I could only make out shapes. There were four empty walls. There was something which looked like a dresser pushed into the corner.

“Put this on,” the voice demanded. For the first time I could see her face. Blonde and about ten years older than me, she was holding a short, flowered dress out.

“We don’t have all day, little Katie,” she said, throwing the dress in my face. “Put it on, or he’ll get mad.”

“I’m not putting anything on until you tell me where the hell I am,” I said.

“You really don’t remember, do you?” she said. “I guess that “H” can really keep a girl down if she’s not used to it.” She grimaced and let loose with another awful laugh. She wasn’t ugly, but her face was obviously worn on by poor decisions.

“What’s “H?” I asked.

She stopped laughing and gave me a confused look. “Hmm, don’t know about “H,” huh? What kinda party girl are you?”

I stared blankly, waiting for my answer.

“Heroin…” she said, finally. “You must be new...and I’m Jackie. Everybody just calls me “Lady J.”

“Heroin? I’ve never done heroin in my life?”

“Oh yes you have,” she said, her laugh returning. “And you’ve done a lot of it.”

Then it hit me. Everything came flooding back like a tidal wave. Going to the bar alone, the fight, James…

Someone
took
me.
Kidnapped.
The realization caused my stomach to sink to the floor. They had been drugging me. But how long had I been here? What were they
doing
with me?

Tears streamed down my face. “Please...I wanna go home.”

“You are home, honey.” she said as she pulled my shirt up over my head. “Now put the goddamned dress on before we both get punished.”

***

The air was heavy with smoke. Two big bikers sat at a table handing a joint back and forth.

“Ohhhhh, look at her tonight. Pretty, isn’t she?” said the one with the red bandana tied around his head.

“I like the dress,” said the other.

I walked hesitantly into the room. Jackie shoved me hard from behind. “Get in there.”

Their faces were familiar. I must have buried them somewhere in the back of my mind during my fugue state, but I knew they were bad men. Either way, they were definitely familiar with me.

“I wanna go home. Just let me out of here and I won’t call the cops,” I said.

The two biker’s shared a glance, then started laughing.

“Whaddaya think, Nash? Just let her go and call it a day?”

“Yeah Duane, sounds good. Make sure to get her a bite to eat and give her some cash before she goes.”

They dished the sarcasm out the only way they knew how: ham-handedly.

“I think she’s scared,” said the one called Nash.